(The following story by Katie Warchut appeared on The Day website on September 25.)
NEW LONDON, Conn. — Amtrak is requesting the Thames River Railroad Bridge be closed for several nights in October while adjustments are made to its main counterweight ropes.
The weights must be relieved of all tension by jacking to make the adjustments, making the bridge inoperable, according to a letter to the Coast Guard.
The closure would start Oct. 6 at 6 p.m., lasting until 6 a.m. the next day. The same would occur on Oct. 7, 8, 9 and 10.
Amtrak and it contractor, Cianbro Corp., finished the main step of its replacement of the aging drawbridge span in June, after facing several delays. The bridge span now opens vertically, like an elevator, between two towers to allow large boats to pass through.
The $83 million project prevented trains from passing over the bridge during the four-day replacement and blocked large marine traffic for several weeks.